


The Coming of Wisdom

by Naekane



Series: Marta x Emil Post-Game Timeline [7]
Category: Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Childbirth, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Family, Married Couple, Post-Canon, Pregnancy, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-23
Updated: 2019-08-23
Packaged: 2020-09-24 23:13:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20366683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Naekane/pseuds/Naekane
Summary: Marta was surprised by the news at first, then delighted when it fully dawned on her. She's glad that her husband is also excited, if still a little apprehensive. As the months pass, Emil becomes more enthusiastic about becoming a father.





	1. Chapter 1

Emil and Marta Castagnier spoke about kids a few days after their wedding. Marta wanted any children that may come their way. They wouldn't make a conscious effort to conceive, but they wouldn't prevent any pregnancies, either. She had wanted a family for a long time and loved the idea that any day now, they would find out that they were having a baby. She thought it would be so sweet and romantic.

Emil was hesitant. He worried that he would not be a good father, and did not know if he would be ready. He never really had parents, after all. Any memories he had of his childhood, including time spent with his apparent father, were false. When he thought about it, he didn't have very many, anyway. There were gaps in his memory he hadn't noticed during the six months before he and Marta started their journey. Alba never raised his voice or hand to Emil after he returned from the Ginnungagap, but even after three years, no real familial love grew. Emil tried, but while there was mutual respect between them, he never thought of Alba as being like a father. Marta's enthusiasm was contagious, and her assurances that he would be a good father were comforting. Emil was willing to at least try. He agreed that it would be nice to see their little family grow.

Over two years had passed since they were married. In the interim, the Aselia Union officially opened and the young couple had major advisory roles in the Palmacosta branch. It was a nonprofit organization created by the Tethe'allan monarchy, some of the larger governments in Sylvarant, Regal Bryant, and Marta. Its purpose was to bring Sylvaranti and Tethe'allans together and prevent future tragedies like the Blood Purge. Aselia was apparently the name given to the world before it was split. Much of their day-to-day work involved reviewing reports on regions that bordered each other and conflicts between the formerly separate worlds. They also went out on peacekeeping missions, settled disputes, tracked trends in trade between the "worlds," organized cultural events, and even the odd festival. Their other friends lent their aid whenever they could.

Marta was glad that they would be able to make real strides in bringing the once separate worlds together. It seemed appropriate that she helped to create the organization whose purpose was to forge peace and understanding after helping her father to create the Vanguard all those years ago. It was a lot of varied work, and there were talks of splitting up the Aselia Union into more focused groups, although that would likely not happen until many years later. She might even become head of one of those branches, but she was assured that would be years away as well. Even if Marta surprised herself at how adept she was at diplomacy, she was definitely not ready to become a formal leader. While she still wanted children, her current duties kept her preoccupied.

With how busy she and Emil were with the Palmacosta branch, Marta didn't think it too strange that she was fatigued. Yet, should she really have felt that tired? When she started to bloat and her breasts felt sore, she thought that it meant her menstruation would start soon. It wasn't the most punctual thing, so she didn't think too much of it that it was almost six weeks since her last one. A week later and all she experienced was some light spotting. The bloating and tenderness did not subside. It took her feeling nauseated for a few days, then vomiting to realize what might have been going on.

"Marta!" Emil exclaimed, following her outside. The front door was closer to the kitchen than the bathroom and she just didn't think to use the waste bin. She threw up her breakfast into a nearby bush. Her husband, face creased with worry, helped her back to her feet, and asked, "Are you getting sicker? I can take you to the doctor."

_Am I? Am I really? That was morning sickness, right?_ Marta thought.

"How?" Marta said, stunned. She immediately wanted to roll her eyes at herself. She glanced at Emil slyly, "Of course I know how."

"Huh?"

The initial shock passed over Marta, replaced with a thrilling realization. She had practiced in her mind, at least for a year, how she would tell Emil _th_e news. She never thought he would be right there once she strongly suspected it. She could have tried to play innocent for now, confirm it later, then surprise Emil. She quickly decided against the idea. It would not be fair to her husband to hide it from him, and she was too excited to keep it bottled up.

Marta turned to face Emil. She could feel herself blush as she said, "I don't need a doctor now, but maybe …. a midwife soon?"

The blonde man blinked, "Mid … wife?"

Marta wrapped her arms around Emil and loudly whispered in his ear, "I, I think I might be pregnant."

Her husband blushed furiously, his eyes widening as he replied, "Y-you're …! P-pregnant? A-are you sure?"

"I'm not sure. That's why I said 'I think.' If we get some of those Tethe'allan pregnancy tests, then we can be sure." Marta heard they weren't one hundred percent accurate, but they were certainly better than waiting about five months to feel the baby move, or using old wives' tales tests that were hit or miss (more miss than hit, really), then waiting five months.

Emil was stunned for a moment longer. He then raised his arms to embrace Marta back and rested his head on her shoulder.

"I-I hope so! I really hope so! I was starting to worry that we couldn't have children," the young man said, his familiar voice sounding choked up. The twenty-three-year-old Emil did not have his sixteen-year-old youthful voice anymore, but Marta couldn't help but notice how despite sounding like Ratatosk now, he still had his uneasy manner of speaking at times.

"You were worried about that?" Marta asked.

"Well, yeah. It's been more than two years since we've been married. Colette got pregnant only a few months after she and Lloyd were married. Sheena, too, and she and Zelos got married after we did. It seemed like everyone else had babies quickly after their weddings. Tenebrae also said that there was a possibility because I'm part of a summon spirit, I couldn't get you pregnant. I was starting to worry that he might have been right."

"Oh Emil," Marta said comfortingly, rubbing his head, "Everyone is different. Some couples take ten years to get pregnant, while others have a baby every year. Sure, some of them never have children, but you can't be sure until it happens, or doesn't."

"I … I see." Emil picked his head back up, blushing again, "Look at me, jumping to conclusions."

"We should make sure I really am pregnant. Then, I guess, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. The store in the center of the city should have some tests. Come on." Emil nodded.

_Besides, I could use something for this nausea._

An hour later, they returned to Marta's childhood home that was now theirs with three pregnancy tests and medicine made from ginger root. The couple was soon in the bathroom, watching the urine-soaked sticks with anticipation, Emil's arm around Marta's shoulder. After five minutes, the center of the sticks was supposed to change color: red for negative and blue for positive. The multiple tests were to better ensure accuracy. Sylvaranti having easy access to the devices changed their lives in the eight years since the worlds were united.

It felt like an eternity to Marta, and she imagined, to Emil, too. Hopeful or not, excited for not, this could change everything. So many thoughts went through her head about their future, about herself, and about her husband. She wanted this baby if it was one. What would they do if the tests didn't agree with each other? How would Emil react if she turned out not to have been pregnant?

Eventually, all three changed color, one after the other, to a deep blue. The two blinked repeatedly as if they were trying to clear their vision. Wife and husband then turned to each other, exchanging similar wide, happy smiles.

"I'm pregnant!" Marta exclaimed loudly.

"You're pregnant!" Emil exclaimed at the same time. He laughed joyfully and picked Marta up, then walked out of the bathroom, spinning her around once. "We're having a baby!" Emil added before he gave Marta a huge kiss. He then set her down and continued, "Sorry, I got a little carried away. I probably shouldn't spin you around like that now."

"It's okay, Emil. I'm excited, too! I'm almost surprised you are. You were nervous about having children when we first talked about them."

Emil rubbed his head sheepishly, "I'm still worried about it. I still don't really know what it's like to be or even have a father. W-what if I'm no good at being a dad? W-what if I never learn and our kid hates me?."

Marta frowned, "Oh no, I think I just made you more worried. I'm sorry."

Emil gave her a guilty look and said, "No, don't be sorry. It's not your fault at all. I just get apprehensive when I start thinking about the bad things that could happen. But, I am looking more forward to having a baby than I was even a few months ago."

"Really?"

"Yeah. At first, I was worried that maybe I couldn't give you the children you wanted. I didn't want you to become sad, so I never mentioned it before and hoped I was wrong. Then, over time, I thought about what it would be like to start a family."

The young man looked at Marta in her eyes, his serious, yet affectionate expression making her blush a little, "I love you, Marta. I want to always make you happy. At first, I wanted to have children with you because it would make you happy. Later, I realized I want to have children for me, too. I want to be the father I never had. I want to do my best to raise kids, you with." He then hung his head and continued, "Then I start worrying about if I'll be a good father or not, then I worry that maybe I couldn't get you pregnant at all. It's a vicious cycle. I guess I feel a little better now since you actually are pregnant."

"Oh, Emil. You're always a worrywart." Marta said teasingly. She then said, "I'm nervous about this too, a little."

"You are?"

"Of course I am. I'm so happy about it, but it's still a lot to take in. Am I really ready to be a mother? Will I be a good mom? Will the baby be born healthy, or will something happen to them, or even to me? A lot of early pregnancies end in miscarriage, too. "

"Oh … Marta—"

She cut him off by placing a finger on his lips. "But I'm not letting any of that get me down. I want to have this baby with you. " She touched his right cheek and said, "And I'm sure you'll be a great father, Emil. You're so kind and considerate. You've become more thoughtful since we were teenagers, too. I thin—I know you'll be a wonderful, devoted father."

Emil blushed again, then said, "I'll … I'll definitely try my hardest to live up to that. I'll become a good father because I'm sure you'll be a wonderful mother."

Marta chuckled warmly at the compliment. Emil kissed her, then rubbed his right hand over her lower belly.

"I'm probably only a month along. You won't be able to feel anything for a while," Marta said. She felt bloated, but it didn't show on her.

"I know," Emil replied "I just want to let the baby know that they have a great mom. And a dad who will do his best, even if he's both excited and worried at the same time."

Marta smiled, then placed both of her hands over the hand he had on her abdomen, "They have a great dad who will do his best because he's excited and worried at the same time." Emil laughed softly at that.

The excitement made Marta feel tired, even though it was still the early afternoon. Fortunately, it was their day off. Marta felt well enough for them to have lunch. When they finished eating, Emil carried her to their bedroom. He gently set his wife on their bed, then laid down next to her. Emil placed his hand back on her belly.

"It's almost hard to believe," he said quietly, "There's a tiny life inside you. They're going to be a new person. All because of us; all because we love each other."

"I know! It really is incredible! Just wait until they're born. We'll have to be careful not to spoil them too rotten," Marta agreed.

"They'll be irresistible, with your cheerful spirit and silky hair," Emil said

"They'll be just as irresistible if they're shy, caring, and adorable with your beautiful, green eyes."

"Your eyes are beautiful, too. Marta. They would be just as amazing with your eyes."

"My eyes are nowhere near as special as yours, though."

Marta and Emil continued back and forth for the better part of an hour, discussing anything and everything to do with the baby. What their child would be like. What a great parent the other would make. When they would tell Marta's father and Emil's aunt and uncle. When they would tell their friends and everyone at the Aselia Union. Who to ask about a good midwife. The expectant parents soon drifted off to sleep in each other's arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought I closed the chapter in my life on fanfiction. It was a great experience, and I still read a story once in a rare while (I haven't read any ToS stories in years, though), but I don't have as much free time as I used to. Adulting is hard, and I would rather spend the free time that I have on playing games, reading novels and watching stuff, than writing and reading fanfiction about them.
> 
> But I still had the Maril/Martil stories in the back of my mind. For some reason, I really, really wanted to write fluff about Marta and Emil starting a family recently. I'm posting these here on AO3 because I'm rather proud of this fic and would like to post it on more than one site.
> 
> I did a lot of research on this, and made up little headcanons along the way. This fic is only four chapters long, and it's more like a one-shot collection, so this isn't some chronicle about the whole nine months. Just some fluffy snapshots about Marta's pregnancy and when the baby is born that have been in my head for years. I have no idea if I'll ever get around to writing any more stories about Emil and Marta, or their kids after this.


	2. Chapter 2

Five months had passed and it seemed Marta and Emil both did a lot to prepare for their coming child and still had so much to do. Their friends and family were delighted and varying levels of excited by the news. Marta's father was nearly brought to tears of happiness at seeing his daughter grown and having a child of her own. Colette doted on the expectant couple, Marta especially. She visited fairly often, as she and Lloyd started helping them turn a guest room into a nursery. Colette even suggested that she stay with Marta and Emil during August when the baby was due. They didn't want to impose and Colette and Lloyd's son Dylan was only three years old. They received all kinds of baby-related gifts from their friends as well. Even Tenebrae had visited them for the first time in a year and said he would drop in every so often, as well as be there to meet their child. They were busy at the Aselia Union, but by Marta's sixth month, she was already working entirely at headquarters and stopped doing fieldwork for the foreseeable future.

Colette asked the woman who helped deliver her son if she knew any midwives in Palmacosta. She referred Marta to Mrs. Milly Mab and she started seeing her about once a month. When they first met Mrs. Mab, she said that Marta's small stature would make the birth difficult. Marta had grown shortly after their journey, but she was still petite. She assured the expectant parents that she had helped deliver babies for women like Marta before, so she will know what to do when the time comes.

As time passed, Emil found that his anxieties about the baby had subsided substantially. He spoke with Lloyd about his worries on his impending fatherhood. Lloyd admitted that despite being raised by a great father (and having two fathers, really), he was also clueless on how to raise a child. Lloyd was learning all the time, and he had Colette, her father, and his father for help and advice. Emil had Marta and could always ask Lloyd and Colette for the same. Zelos said his father was hardly there for him, so he and Emil were in a similar boat, but he would offer Emil what advice he could. Zelos could still be flippant sometimes, but he proved to be a loving, doting father to his and Sheena's twin girls.

Emil had realized since Marta became pregnant, with some consternation, that Ratatosk was still stuck at the Ginnungagap while Emil got to be with his dear wife. He also came to realize he was going to be the father Aster would never be. He wanted to live the life Aster could not, and he was doing just that. The thought brought great catharsis to the young man. He didn't think he ever could or should feel guiltless about leaving his other self trapped and having taken Aster's life, but he could still live his life and be happy. He didn't live this life just for himself, after all.

The pregnancy was starting to affect Marta's body in more unpleasant ways recently. Her belly grew to and past the point that her usual clothes no longer fit her. That part she didn't mind so much; she liked how maternity clothes looked on her. The extra weight, however, gave her backaches, and her feet were starting to swell. She used a Heal spell sometimes to relieve the pain, but she limited them. Her healing and magical artes weren't as strong as they used to be after the decoy Ratatosk core disintegrated. She also learned that she couldn't use too many or too strong healing artes during pregnancy. For reasons that weren't fully understood, an expectant mother's magic was weakened until the pregnancy ended. Besides, the overuse of mana would make her feel more fatigued in her condition. 

Emil attended to his wife with his own mixture of devotion and worry. While Marta was still experiencing morning sickness (quite the misnomer, considering that she would get bouts of nausea and vomiting at all hours of the day), he would make sure to keep medicine in stock and helped her if she did throw up. He prepared healthy, hearty meals, and made sure she ate and drank enough ("I know I'm eating for two, Emil!"). He brought home or cooked whatever she may have been craving. He rubbed her back and feet when those particularly ached. He simultaneously called her strong and sometimes treated her like she was so delicate, which caused Marta to grumble. She still appreciated his fussing and found it endearing, especially during harder days. She reminded Emil that he would be a great father, especially with how well he was taking care of her.

Marta insisted on taking walks as often as possible, especially since in the coming months she would not be able to. That particular evening Marta and Emil finished one such walk a little while before. She leaned her left side on Emil while sitting on a couch in the den, her eyes closed and his arm around her. Marta's right hand idly stroke Petro the Gunna who was curled up in sleep. The rabbit-squirrel monster was the only one small and unassuming enough that they could keep in their house. Petro always had more of a shine for Marta than Emil, and since she became pregnant, he had been particularly attached to her

"I've been reading this Tethe'allan book about pregnancy," Marta started to say, "It says that I should start sleeping on my left side to help with the back pain. I can try to use a pillow between my legs since I'm not used to side-sleeping. I'm not sure how that would stop me from turning in my sleep, but I'll give it a shot. I can't do anything about the baby moving around in there and keeping me up, so maybe my back hurting less will help me sleep better."

"I hope you'll be able to get some relief. Sleep is important, after all," Emil said.

"Yeah, I hope so, too. I'm only going to get bigger." She opened her eyes and looked up at Emil with a coy smile, "That includes my chest, although you're already appreciating that." She tapped his nose and he blushed.

"I-I liked them before they grew," Emil said a bit hesitantly. There he was, married, expecting a child, and his first reaction to his wife talking about her breasts was to blush. She certainly knew how to catch him off guard. "It's just … well, there's more to appreciate now." Though still blushing, he gave her his own suggestive smirk.

"Perv," Marta chimed. They both chuckled.

The expectant mother looked down fondly at her belly and glided her hand over it.

"I know I've been griping a lot lately. At least my cravings aren't so bad anymore. I'm hungrier now than before, but I don't need amangos all the time, or pickled yellow bell peppers, and only the yellow ones. Darn pregnancy hormones. Do you remember that one time when you couldn't find any amangos in all of Palmacosta?"

Emil chuckled again and replied, "Oh yeah. I came home with tangerines instead and when I told you amangos were sold out everywhere, you got a little upset."

"I wasn't just 'a little upset'!" She replied, looking up at him again, "I felt furious and I was so loud when I snapped at you. I hadn't seen you look that scared since the beginning of our journey."

"You weren't that loud," Emil said defensively, even as he internally admitted he hadn't seen her look that angry in a long time.

"Then I demanded that you get a Rhearid to find them somewhere else! In the back of my mind, I knew we never kept the ones Lloyd lent us, but I didn't care at that moment."

"I mean, it would have been the quickest way to get to another city. I could have gone to get Monsoon, but he can't fly as fast as a Rheaird and he can be a little hard to find sometimes," Emil said sympathetically, "And you did apologize for getting mad about it."

"By immediately crying into your chest to say 'sorry' for suggesting something so crazy! I know pregnancy hormones can cause mood changes, but I never felt my mood swing like that before."

Emil smiled compassionately and said, "It's okay, honest. The baby just really wanted amangos." He felt more guilty about the incident than anything, even though logically he knew it wasn't his fault the fruit was scarce that day.

"You're so sweet, Emil. Thank you for putting up with me like this," Marta said appreciatively, her eyes shimmering.

'There's nothing to put up with. I want to help you with this pregnancy as much as I can. I'm just glad you're not as sick as you used to be in the beginning."

"I am, too. It's hard sometimes, but I wouldn't trade being pregnant for the world, aches, mood swings, and all. Each day brings us closer to meeting our baby. It’s amazing how my body is changing, even if I look and feel kind of awkward, sometimes."

"You're still beautiful, though," Emil reassured her, "You have this glow now."

Marta placed her other hand on her left cheek and said, "It's called pregnancy glow. I heard it has something to do with hormones affecting a woman's skin."

"Oh, well, it's not just your skin. Your eyes are more radiant and …" Emil thought a moment and then smoothed his palm over her bump before resting it on her hand. "It's seeing your belly grow and knowing our baby is almost here. It's incredible and wonderful, and you're incredible and wonderful."

"Flattery will get you everywhere," Marta said before she leaned in to press her lips against his. She broke the kiss, then continued, "I told you you'll be a great father. Look at how excited you are, and the baby isn't even here yet."

"I-I, um, I just grew to love the thought of becoming a father. I was worried at first—and still am, a little—but more and more I want to meet our baby. I want to raise them, teach them, and love them, with you, Marta. I love the baby already, even if they're not here yet." Emil blushed a bit, but his smile was warm.

Marta laughed sweetly, then rested her head on Emil's chest, "I feel exactly the same way. I love our baby already, and I love you, too!"

"And I love you," Emil replied before he kissed her. Marta continued to rest on her husband's chest for several more minutes, her eyes closed in contentment. Just as Emil thought to suggest they get ready to go to sleep, she spoke up.

"Have you thought of any names yet?"

"The baby's name?" he replied, "We don't even know if they're a boy or a girl yet."

"We can think of one for each or even more names." The expectant mother picked up her head and looked Emil in the eyes, smirking slightly, "I'll bet anything that you want to name them Aster."

Emil blushed and blurted, "T-the baby could be a girl!" _I really _am_ that predictable_, Emil thought, _Although, Marta does know me very well; better than I know myself sometimes._

Marta laughed, and said, "I think Aster is a good name. Someone with that name deserves to live a happy life, don't you?"

Still blushing, Emil replied, "Yeah, I do think that. But, I mean, what about you? Is there a name you want to give them?"

"Ok, how about this? If the baby is a boy, he can be named Aster. If she's a girl, then I'll name her."

Emil smiled and answered, "That's fair. Do you have any ideas?"

"In fact, I do. I want to call her Sophia."

"Sophia? That's a pretty name."

Marta nodded, "It is. I heard a long time ago that Sophia meant wisdom in an ancient language. I thought it was really neat, and the name stuck with me. I've wanted to name a daughter Sophia for almost as long as when I first found out it meant wisdom."

"Oh, I didn't know that. That's pretty special. Maybe she'll become wiser than her father," Emil said with a chuckle.

"Well, she can't be any less wise than her mother," Marta followed suit.

"Boy or girl, Sophia or Aster, I love them the same," Emil said.

"Of course!" Marta replied with a happy sigh.

Emil ran his palm over her belly again, quietly marveling at how big she had gotten. He had hoped to be able to feel the baby move since last month when Marta first felt something she described as butterflies in her stomach. Colette called it "the quickening" and told them other people wouldn't be able to feel kicks until Marta was in her sixth month. He should be able to feel it soon, right?

Emil suddenly stopped moving his hand when he felt a part of Marta's bump tap him from inside her. Did he just get his wish? He looked with hopeful eyes at Marta, who seemed almost as surprised.

"Did you feel something? The baby kicked right there."

"I-I think I did! I just felt them kick my hand!" Emil smiled broadly and laughed, "They did it again! You're going to be strong, just like your Mommy!"

"And your Daddy!" Marta added and then said, "I'm not really that strong, anyway. I, was, like, 90 pounds soaking wet before I got pregnant."

"Of course you're strong, Marta! You dropkicked a bear the second time we met and you've only gotten stronger since then."

"It got back up only moments later. We beat it together."

"Then our child will be as strong as the two of us put together."

"Exactly. They'll be able to take out bears in a single dropkick!" Marta punctuated that statement with a laugh.

Emil continued to feel Marta's abdomen until the parents-to-be agreed to turn in for the night. He would resume feeling for the baby's kicks after they went to bed for a few moments longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Has anyone ever squeed and cooed over something you yourself wrote? I did that all throughout the writing and editing process. I basically saved all of the fluffy scenes and my desire to write fluff for the past five years and put it into this story. I really think Marta and Emil would be very sweet, adorable, and happy as they waited for their baby to come.
> 
> I know this story kind of jumps, going from month one to month six. My original plan was to make these individual one-shots and post them out of order. Ever since I was hit with the urge to write this, I instead made them one story, even if it's sort of a collection. For a little while I thought maybe to write more stuff in-between, but instead I opted for this. I really just wanted to get these specific scenes and scenarios out of my head. So I hope you don't mind that I don't have any more parts during the earlier months.
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. :)


	3. Chapter 3

At the start of Marta's last month, the couple took leave of their work at the Aselia Union, with well wishes from their peers. The officers of the Palmacosta branch would send a message via courier if something very important came up. Marta and Emil spent the remaining days making sure everything was ready for the baby's arrival. They also read up on what to expect for their child's first year.

Tenebrae popped in on the couple a bit earlier than they thought he would, believing he meant he would be there shortly after their child was born. They asked him if he could sense that their baby would be coming soon. Tenebrae said that he could no more guess when the child would be born than any of them. After all, he sensed that the baby was completely human, as Tenebrae inferred would be the case. He further expounded that he believed, despite how unprecedented it was for a summon spirit to have a human child, that it was part of his duty as Lord Ratatosk's faithful servant to greet the baby as soon as possible. Waiting with them now seemed as good a time as any. Marta teased the Centurion a little, calling him a softy.

Emil was already grateful to Tenebrae for everything he had done for him, but he would become eternally more so when Marta's water broke on August the 21st, only three days after the Centurion's arrival.

Doing his best not to panic, Emil helped his wife to bed, then scrambled out to get the midwife, hurriedly asking Tenebrae to stay with her.

Soon he returned with the heavyset midwife. Milly Mab was in her early 50s, her red hair graying and tied in a bun. She carried a large bag of supplies, though they already had several items in a room specially prepared for the delivery.

"Marta, we're here! We're here!" He exclaimed, running into the room with her, "Are you all right?"

His wife panted heavily, wincing and gritting her teeth every so often.

"Well, let me tell you; going into labor is a real picnic," she said as glibly as her condition could let her manage.

Mrs. Mab gave a short laugh and said in a light highland accent, "She still has some of her good humor, I see." More seriously, she continued, "Now Emil, heat up some water, please."

"Water, right!" he repeated. He then wondered what happened to Tenebrae, as he could still sense but couldn't see him. Emil looked around the room briefly before the Centurion of Darkness' voice appeared in his head.

_"If you are looking for me, Lord Emil I'm currently invisible. I thought it best not to need to explain to Mab what a Centurion is and complicate things." _Tenebrae could send thoughts to Emil, a shadow of a remnant of Ratatosk's power that Emil didn't even know he had before last year. Emil could only reply to the Centurion verbally.

_Good idea, _Emil thought, then started on the water, soon filing up a tub they kept in the room just for when Marta was going to give birth. The midwife took out other supplies while Emil helped prop Marta up with extra pillows. He held her right hand, which she gripped with a surprising amount of strength.

"I'm here, Marta. You'll get through this, and I'll do what I can to bring our baby into the world. Even though, you know, you and Mrs. Mab will be doing most of the work."

"T-thank you, Emil," Marta strained to say. Her hand crushed his as a contraction wracked her body.

"Emil, can you get that beastie out of here?" Mrs. Mab said. Emil looked over to her and saw her point at Petro, perched at the head of the bed near Marta. He was looking intently at her. He then chirped in what sounded to Emil like annoyance at the midwife.

"Petro, go outside," he told the Gunna. The squirrel-like monster glared at him, then continued to stare at Marta.

_Actually having the power of the Lord of Monsters would help in situations like this, _Emil thought wryly. "Come with me, Petro." He went to pick up the Gunna, but he jumped away. Emil avoided outright running after Petro while pursuing him. He managed to grab Petro and convince him not to struggle, so he would not try to escape by biting the father-to-be. Emil carried Petro out of the room and sat him down on a chair in another room.

The door to where Marta was in labor then closed shut before Emil got back.

"Hey!" Emil shouted. He rushed to try the doorknob, but it was locked.

"Mrs. Mab, what are you doing?" He shouted, banging on the door.

"From here on out, I don't allow men to view the birthing. I'm sorry, Emil," she replied, speaking loud enough to be heard through the door.

"What? I have to be with Marta! I have to help! Open the door!"

"Please lower your voice, young man. You'll upset your wife more, and she needs to be as relaxed as possible."

Emil heard a strained protest from Marta before she cried out in pain.

"It's admirable, wonderful even, that young men such as yourself insist on being with their wives as they give birth," Mrs. Mab explained, "Even with just the generation before yours, the husbands not only stayed out of the room but may even keep out of the house."

"So why won't you let me in?" Emil more demanded than asked.

"Because when I did let them in, each and every time, the men panicked, fainted, vomited, and generally got in the way. I'm convinced men can't handle watching a birth, never mind helping. Small wonder the Goddess made only women be able to bear children."

"I won't do any of that! Please, Mrs. Mab, I promised Marta I'd stay with her!"

"This is Marta's first child, and this will likely be a long and difficult labor for her. It will be easier on all of us if you stay out. You can, of course, remain right outside this door and I'll let you in once the baby is born, or heavens forbid, something dire happens."

Emil glared at the door. He considered knocking it down but thought it would be counter-productive at best. What Mab said about how difficult the labor would be was a reasonable argument, and no doubt Emil's shouting and banging on the door didn't help.

_But I can handle it! I'm not a coward anymore!_

_"Lord Emil, I am currently inside the room with Lady Marta. I can keep watch over the birth if it will bring you some peace of mind," _he heard Tenebrae's voice from inside his head.

Emil hesitated, then thought, _Tenebrae is in there. He'll let me know what's going on and keep Marta company_. "Okay, Tenebrae," he said. He turned his attention to the door and said loudly "Marta, I'll be right here. I haven't left you!"

Though muffled, he heard his wife say his name. It would have to do.

Hours passed. Emil heard Mrs. Mab instruct Marta on how to breathe through the labor. Emil paced back and forth as he listened through the door and to Tenebrae's telepathic updates. He sat down only occasionally. Petro perched on his shoulders at times, but as it got later, the Gunna eventually fell asleep.

After six hours, Emil heard the midwife tell Marta to be ready to start pushing.

"That means the baby's coming, right?" Emil said with a look of desperate anticipation and worry. There was a pause, and then he heard the Midwife's muffled voice.

_"While Marta will soon begin the process of delivering the infant, this can and likely will take a few hours longer," _Tenebrae clarified in Emil's mind.

Emil stayed by the door, listening even more attentively, though he still mostly relied on Tenebrae's invisible eyes. He could hear Marta scream in pain now, which made his heart drop. He imagined the worst happening. Tenebrae assured him that Marta was not in any mortal peril and that this was part of the birthing process.

"How would you know this is part of it? You said you've never seen a human being born before, even though you've been alive for so long," Emil asked.

_"I've read on up the subject since learning of Lady Marta's pregnancy."_

Emil looked skeptically at the door since he couldn't see Tenebrae, "You read books now?"

_"I shapeshift into a human and enter libraries to read. Is that so hard to believe?" _Emil might have found that image amusing if not for Marta going into labor.

_It could still go wrong, though, _Emil thought grimly, _Marta's so small. She could die. The baby could die. _He knew Marta's screams and her atypically strong cursing were due to labor pain, but even with Tenebrae there, he couldn't help but worry. Emil did hear what sounded like Mrs. Mab encouraging Marta by saying she was doing well. That had to be a good sign, or so he hoped.

Two more hours passed until Tenebrae said, "sounding" excited, _"They can see the top of the child's head!"_

Their baby, their precious little one, was almost here!

Eventually, the wail of a newborn range out. The sound made Emil immediately start banging on the door again.

"Mrs. Mab, please let me in now!" Emil shouted. The baby was here! They were finally here! He had to see them, Marta and the baby both!

Emil stopped banging when Tenebrae told him both his wife and child were in good condition. It seemed Milly Mab used healing artes to help Marta to go through the afterbirth faster, prevent any postpartum bleeding, and recover some stamina.

_Why didn't she say she could use healing artes? _Emil wondered.

The past eight hours were agonizing enough. The following thirty-some-odd minutes seemed to stretch on to ridiculous lengths. Finally, Emil heard the door unlock and creak open a little. He all but rammed down the entryway, yelling Marta's name. He barely noticed a tub of water that was now a red hue.

There they were: the two dearest people in his life.

Marta was surprisingly hale, although Emil knew that was from the artes the midwife used. She seemed tired, taking in deep breaths, but not exhausted. Her hair was disheveled, yet her mother's flower barrettes stayed in place. There were tears in her eyes, though not from pain or sadness. Emil felt tears well in his own eyes when he saw the blanket-wrapped bundle she held very close to her.

Marta looked at her husband, giving him a tired and tear-streaked, but loving smile. She slightly gestured the bundle towards Emil.

"Look, Sophia," she said quietly, "It's Daddy. Come meet your Daddy."

"Sophia … she's a girl …" the blonde man trailed off.

Their baby was born. Their precious, darling little girl was born.

He hurried over to his little family, then wrapped his arms around and planted kisses on both his wife and daughter. Emil's heart felt ready to burst with joy, pride, love, and so many other emotions.

"I love you, Marta! I love you so much! I'm so glad, so glad you're okay! I'm so happy Sophia is here! I love you so much, Sophia!" He was rambling, he knew, and tears were streaming down his face, but he didn't care. He had to let these feelings out. At least he had the mind not to be very loud. "Thank you, Marta! Thank you!"

Marta laughed softly, kissing Emil back when he leaned in to kiss her lips. She then said, "I love you, too Emil. And thank you. You're a big part of the reason she's here, after all. She wouldn't even exist without you."

"Yeah …" Emil responded. He turned his head to look at the midwife and said to her, "And thank you, Mrs. Mab! Without you, I don't know if Marta and Sophia would have made it."

"You're very welcome," the aging midwife replied, smiling. Though small, the expression spoke of how much she loved the work, despite how tiring it likely was.

"Do you want to hold her?" Marta asked him.

The young man's eyes widened as he replied, "Yes! Of course!"

Emil gingerly picked up the small bundle and took a good look at his firstborn. Sophia was so small, with her tiny hands and soft, round cheeks. Her skin was still red and he learned from a book that it would be for about twenty-four hours or so. She was the perfect blend of her parents. Sophia had Marta's nose and chin, but her ears seemed to be shaped more like Emil's. She had a thin layer of fine, light-colored hair on her precious head. It was difficult to say what its hue was, but he thought it looked closer to Marta's brown rather than his blonde. When Sophia opened her eyes, Emil saw that they were a brilliant and dazzling peridot green. Marta always said he had the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen, which he thought was hyperbole. Now that his child inherited them, he thought that his and Marta's eyes were about equal. Although he supposed, they were Aster's eyes, to begin with.

_She's Aster's daughter, too, in a way, _Emil thought. The idea brought a smile to his face, _And Ratatosk's, though I guess I kind of am Ratatosk, too. _He held his baby closer, then touched her forehead with his and kissed it. His smile broadened.

"You're perfect, Sophia. Completely perfect! Isn't she perfect, Marta?"

"Oh yes! You're the most perfect little girl in the world," Marta agreed with a smile.

The infant began to fuss, making noises that sounded like a sort of humming.

"I do believe little Sophia is hungry," Mrs. Mab said. She then began to walk back towards Marta, "Nursing can be difficult the first few times, so let me teach you how."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title should make sense now, or maybe you already guessed what it meant from the last chapter. ;) If you're wondering, the language in question is Ancient Greek.
> 
> I love the thought of Emil being rambly, practically crying, and super happy when his and Marta's kids are born. For once, I really like how this chapter and story thus far came out.
> 
> Funny thing about Milly Mab: In my original vision for this chapter, when it was still a plot bunny for a one-shot, there was going to be just a few sentences about the midwife keeping Emil out of the room while Marta was giving birth because she's old fashion. It was really just going to be about them meeting Sophia for the first time and not the whole labor process. It expanded into this, and Mab became something of her own character. There will be a bit more about her in the next and final chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

Marta asked Milly Mab about her healing artes, as she was curious as to why she didn't mention having them before. The midwife seemed uneasy, so Marta revealed that she had healing and light elemental artes as well. Marta told her that she had elven ancestry, though no one in the family knew how far back. It wasn't a lie. Years ago, when Marta developed the ability to use magic after Ratatosk's core lodged itself into her forehead, Tenebrae explained to her that she likely had distant elf ancestors. Even though the core ultimately turned out to have been a decoy, it gave her enough of a power boost to unlock that hidden potential permanently.

Mrs. Mab explained that her mother was a human and her father a half-elf. Her family was ostracized for it. After she grew old enough to move away, she managed to pass herself as a human. It was easy for those that were one-quarter elf or less, as they lacked pointed ears and only lived slightly longer than the average human. Mab decided to use her magic in midwifery after a half-elf healer saved her during childbirth. People were grateful to her when she saved mothers and their children, so if they were bothered by her implied heritage, they never told her. Due to the initial tensions between Sylvarant and Tethe'alla and because of the efforts of people like Raine and Genis Sage, bigotry against half-elves was somewhat on the decline. Mrs. Mab still remembered her childhood, so she was not open about her healing artes.

Once Mab left, the front door to their house closing seemed to have awakened Petro. He bolted into the room and was soon nuzzling against Marta, relieved that she was all right. He then saw Sophia cradled in her arms and seemed transfixed by her. The Gunna cautiously sniffed the infant. When Petro sniffed her tiny hand, she grasped his muzzle. Petro then rubbed his head affectionately against the newborn.

"Petro, be careful!" Emil said with concern, holding his hand out to the Gunna.

"Not to worry, Lord Emil. Petro is well aware that human infants are delicate," Tenebrae voice said from thin air. He shortly materialized in a puff of smoke, floating close to the door and said, "First off, congratulations to the both of you."

"Thank you, Tenebrae," Marta said warmly.

"Thanks. And thank you for staying with Marta," Emil added.

"Think nothing of it, Lord Emil. I live to serve, even if that life now involves stopping my lord from knocking down a door in his own home," The Centurion replied. The couple chuckled slightly at that. Tenebrae continued, " Now then, I suppose it's my turn to introduce myself to Lady Sophia."

Petro jumped away as Tenebrae hovered closer to Marta and Sophia. The new mother nodded toward the panther-like Centurion and cooed to the baby, "You get to meet someone else today. He's Mommy and Daddy's very best friend."

"I'm more than that," Tenebrae said. He moved closer until he was about an arm's length away from Sophia, his legs tucked underneath him. "I am Tenebrae, Centurion of Darkness, and faithful servant to Lord Ratatosk. As your father is a part of Lord Ratatosk, I serve him as well, albeit to a lesser extent. It's rather complicated." He floated closer to the infant as he noticed that she focused on his face more the nearer he was. Marta smiled when he was close enough to nearly touch Sophia's face with his snout.

Emil chuckled and said, "She's too young to understand you either way."

Tenebrae was about to retort, likely to say something sarcastic or make a snide remark. Sophia's little hand then bopped his nose, leaving the panther-like Centurion speechless.

They had never seen such a cute expression on Tenebrae's face before.

* * *

Hours after Sophia was born, a little past midnight, Marta woke to the increasingly louder sounds of their baby whimpering and fussing. Sophia was hungry. The noises made Marta feel a warming in her breasts. Mrs. Mab explained that she should nurse the newborn every two-to-three hours during the day, and then could sleep for at least four hours between feedings at night. She recommended that the parents both nap during the day whenever they could as Sophia slept, as it would be better for their health, particularly Marta's. Parents with a new baby were notoriously sleep-deprived. Marta, though, didn't want to wait that long for the first few days. She wanted to accustom herself to breastfeeding as soon as possible.

No one told her a suckling baby could _hurt_. The first time she tried hours before, she was shocked at how the pulling sensation felt painful. Sophia didn't even have teeth yet! Mrs. Mab told her that the baby needed to latch on properly, and even then, Marta would be sensitive for the first few days, if not for a week or more. After Marta followed Mab's instructions, the infant latched on in a way that mostly felt uncomfortable, but not especially painful.

At least until Emil, overcome with emotions from watching them, embraced his family again, which caused Sophia to detach. He quickly learned not to do that again.

She got up out of bed and unbuttoned her sleeping blouse before going to pick up the baby from her cradle. The nursery was set up, but they wanted to keep her in their bedroom for the next few months. Marta carried their daughter to a chair near the bed, then sat down. She positioned the infant at her breast and, fortunately, she latched on with only discomfort. The feeling was soon overwhelmed by euphoria. The quiet noises Sophia made as she suckled were the cutest and most endearing sounds Marta ever heard. The sounds, the sensations, the knowledge that her body produced the milk that her daughter needed made Marta love Sophia all the more.

This is what she wanted for so long. Ever since she was a young teenager, she dreamed of finding a wonderful guy, falling in love, and getting married. While her girlhood self didn't give much thought to kids, it wasn't out of the realm of possibility.

It was funny how life turned out. Yes, all of that happened, but under very different, extraordinary, and difficult circumstances than she anticipated. It was all the better for it, too. This was real. Emil was a real person, even if he was part of a summon spirit. For all of her prior crushes on boys and the idealized image she had of Emil when they first met, she still fell in love with the real Emil. And he loved her back, so much so that he found a way to return to her. They helped each other to become better people. She had another dream, which he was helping her to achieve: create a peaceful world by having the Tethe'allans accept the Sylvaranti without resorting to harsh methods. She and Emil were true partners in life, and because of the love they shared, they made a new life.

Marta loved Sophia since before she was born, yet it still amazed her how much deeper that love ran now that she was here. Sophia was the most beautiful, adorable, precious, and perfect child in the world. Marta was dimly aware that just about every mother, every parent thought their kids were the best, but Sophia really was the best. Emil certainly agreed. Even Tenebrae was taken with her.

"Wonderful," Marta heard Emil say. His awe-filled voice brought her out of her reverie. She then saw that her husband was looking up from the bed at them, his gaze and smile full of warmth and love.

"You both are incredible," he continued, "We made a baby, you carried her for nine months, and now you're nourishing her. It's like a miracle."

Marta smiled back in equal measure. It was like he was reading her thoughts or some of them. "It really is," she said.

Once the baby finished nursing and was burped, Marta started to put her back in her cradle. Emil then stood up and embraced Marta from behind. He gently stroked his daughter's cheek and said, "I wonder what Sophia will be like when she's older."

"We'll find out when the time comes," Marta said, "You hear people say all the time how fast kids grow up."

"Yeah, I wouldn't want her to grow up too fast. I guess it doesn't matter what she'll be like. We'll always be there for her and love her."

"Every step of the way," Marta agreed, "It'll be a new kind of journey."

Emil nodded and said, "I wasn't afraid when we started the journey of our lives together, and I'm not afraid of this one. Instead, I look forward to it."

It warmed her heart to see him love his daughter so much already. She knew he would be a great father. There was much uncertainty in their future, but they would face it together on this new journey of parenthood. They could get through anything because Marta had the best husband and now the best baby girl ever.

And perhaps they'll have another darling companion join them, a few years from now.

"I love you," Emil said, kissing Marta's cheek

"I love you, too," she replied, kissing him back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wouldn't their kids just be the cutest things ever?! *Squees* I wish I either had some skills in art, or could afford to commission artists to make all kinds of fanart based on this fic, and what Sophia will look like when she's older. Oh well, I can dream, or maybe see if I can put some cash together to commission one pic...
> 
> This chapter was initially a scene at the end of the last one, but after some research and revisions, it became long enough to make it a sort of "epilogue." Who knew there was so much to breastfeeding? The Tenebrae scene was also a revision. I feel that Tenebrae wouldn't know what to think about Emil and Marta having a baby, except for being genuinely happy that they are happy. It's something he's had no experience with. He'll come to care a lot about her. He did watch her being born, after all.
> 
> Anyway, this little story, which was more like a collection of related one-shots, has come to an end. I set out what I wanted to do and I am very happy with the results. A part of me wants to keep writing, but I can't make any promises. Obviously, I came out of retirement once, so maybe it'll happen again. Maybe it will be sooner than after five years. I know I already have loads of new plot bunnies and headcanons just from writing this.
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed this fic. If you are so inclined, please let me know what you think by leaving a comment or giving it kudos!


End file.
